Fastening system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a listening system for mounting detachable covering components, like panels, on other components ( 17 ), like carriage parts ( 19 ), having at least one spacer ( 1 ) provided with a spacer body ( 3 ), which on one side thereof can be attached to the covering component, and which on the opposite side thereof is provided with an adhesive closure part ( 7 ), which can be detachably engaged with a corresponding adhesive closure part ( 15 ), which can be attached to the other component ( 17 ). The invention is characterized in that at least on one border of the side of the spacer body ( 3 ) to be connected to the covering component, a flat mesh ( 21 ) abuts, which enlarges the connection area between the covering component and the spacer ( 1 ).

The invention relates to a fastening system for mounting detachable covering components such as panels on other components such as automotive body parts, having at least one spacer which can be secured on the covering component on one side by means of a fastening means and which is provided with a hook-and-loop-type fastening part on the opposite side, said fastening part being detachably engageable with a corresponding hook-and-loop fastening part secured on the other component.

A fastening system of this type, which conforms to the prior art, is disclosed in WO 2009/097950 A1. Such fastening systems serve to secure sheet-type panels in predefinable locations, for example, to conceal unattractive areas with a laminated veneer, but they may also be used for thermal and sound insulation. Thus, for example, panel-type covering components may be used in automotive engineering to cover large areas of sheet metal parts as automotive body components. Loading doors, for example, may be mentioned here as body parts, but body floors and roofs may also be mentioned. In addition to the automotive field mentioned above, such fastening systems may also be used in railroads, ships and airplanes, where comparable problems must be solved.

Due to the fact that the fastening system permits a detachable connection between the covering component and another component, technical equipment running inside the other component, such as cables, air conditioning ducts, electronic control systems, etc., may be designed to be readily accessible as needed, by removing the covering component from the other component having the respective technical equipment, by disengaging the hook-and-loop fastening parts, i.e., releasing the hook-and-loop fastener connection. In an effort to ensure secure fastening of the covering components, hook-and-loop fasteners today are designed with high holding forces. Although this ensures the required reliability of the fastening, there is still the risk that problems may occur in removing the components because of the high holding forces. In unfavorable cases, this may result in detachment of the spacer body from the covering component when the holding forces of the engaged hook-and-loop fastening parts are stronger than the holding force in effect between the fastening means of the spacer body and the covering component.

In view of these problems, the object of the present invention is to make available a fastening system of the type in question which will permit reliable removal of the covering components despite the high holding forces in effect on the hook-and-loop fastening parts.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a fastening system having the features of patent claim 1 as a whole.

According to the characterizing part of patent claim 1, one essential feature of the invention is that a flat mesh, which increases the connecting portion between the covering component and spacer, is attached to at least one edge of the side of the spacer body to be connected to the covering component. In the prior art, only the respective base area of the spacer body is available for an adhesive that is provided as the fastening means, so the presence of the mesh attached to the spacer body at the side opens up additional possibilities for implementing a secure connection to the other component. Not only does the mesh increase the connecting portion per se, but the mesh structure with its corresponding mesh openings also permits other, more effective, connecting technologies in comparison with an adhesive connection between smooth surfaces. This mesh is therefore suitable for lamination, or foaming in place, in a covering component or for a foam lining, where form-fitting connections are created. In the case of adhesive connections with adhesives based on polyamide or with synthetic rubber adhesives, forming-fitting connections are also achieved due to the adhesive passing through the mesh openings. The hook-and-loop fastener connection can therefore be detached reliably as needed, without any risk of damage to the component to be fastened.

The mesh is preferably attached to all the edges of the rectangular spacer body, so the connecting portion is enlarged toward all sides of the spacer, the dimensions of the mesh being selected especially advantageously, so that the mesh enlarges the size of the connecting portion of the spacer with the covering component to more than twice the area of the spacer body.

With regard to the shape of the mesh, the arrangement may be such that it has a smooth curvature on its periphery, in particular being round or oval, or the mesh may have an angular shape. In the latter case, the mesh may also be designed so that there are corner angles, a few of which are open to the outside and a few of which are open to the inside, thus forming a mesh having a plurality of separate arms.

Regardless of the respective shape of the mesh, the spacer body may be situated in the central area of the connecting portion formed by the mesh or outside of this central area.

With regard to the actual mesh structure, the arrangement may advantageously be such that the mesh is formed by two groups of intersecting mesh bars running in parallel. The groups of mesh bars may intersect one another at right angles, so that rectangular mesh openings are formed.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the mesh may be integrally molded on the spacer body in one piece. The unit of spacer body and mesh may be a homogeneous injection-molded body or may be a plastic part with inserts of textile fibers or fiber glass cloth or metal cloth.

In advantageous embodiments, the arrangement may also be such that the spacer body has a protruding planar edging on the side to be connected to the covering component, said edging then being connected to the mesh in a coplanar arrangement. Therefore, in addition to the planar base area of the spacer body, a planar contact surface enlarging this area is also formed for the covering component.

The present invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the essential parts of one embodiment of the fastening system in the style of an exploded diagram;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view of only the spacer and a respective hook-and-loop fastening part of a modified embodiment of the fastening system;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective oblique view of only the spacer of another embodiment;

FIGS. 4 to 8 show a selection of different shapes of the spacer for exemplary embodiments of the fastening system in the manner of simplified schematic diagrams;

FIG. 9 shows a view of the spacer from above in another embodiment of the fastening system;

FIG. 10 shows a sectional diagram according to sectional line X-X in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows a top view of the spacer drawn on an enlarged scale in comparison with the FIGS. 9 and 10, but with the hook-and-loop fastening part removed from the box part of the spacer body, and

FIG. 12 shows the hook-and-loop fastening part removed from the box part of FIG. 11 with a view of the underside of its backing part.

FIG. 1 shows the individual components of the fastening system, which is made up of these components as a whole, beginning with a spacer 1 shown at the bottom of FIG. 1, fastenable to a covering component (not shown) by fastening means. The spacer 1 has a rectangular box part 3 with a frame recess 5 for accommodating, in a flush manner, a first hook-and-loop fastening part 7, having hook elements 11 in the shape of mushroom heads, on a backing layer 9. These hook elements can engage with corresponding hook elements 11 on a second hook-and-loop fastening part 15, whose backing layer 13 is fastened to the respective other component 17, body panel 19. FIG. 1 shows a flat section of an automotive body panel 19 as an example. As in the prior art, the box part 3 of the spacer 1 may be designed with a different design height to implement the desired different distances between the covering component and the other component 17.

With the fastening system according to the invention, a flat mesh 21 is provided as the fastening means for securing the spacer 1 on the covering component (not shown). This flat mesh is attached to the box part 3 and the side facing the covering component and increases the connecting portion with the covering component beyond the size of the area of the box part 3. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, the mesh 21 is circular and surrounds the box part 3 in such a manner that the latter is situated in the area of the center of the circle. The mesh 21 is formed by two groups of mesh bars 23 and 25, intersecting one another at or almost at right angles, thereby forming rectangular mesh openings 27, which are shaped like the mesh bars 23 and 25 (not all of which are labeled in the drawings). The mesh 21 is designed to be relatively fine, so the number of mesh openings 27 may amount to 50 openings or even far more than 50 openings. Such a mesh structure is especially suitable for connection to the covering component by lamination, or foaming in place or injection in place. Adhesives may also be used. In any case, this yields a form-fitting anchoring due to the material or the adhesive permeating the mesh openings 27. Hot-melt adhesives having a high thermal stability such as polyamide adhesives may also be used. The box part 3 is especially preferably made of an ABS material, in particular PC-ABS (polycarbonate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene material). The entire spacer 1 with the box part 3 and the mesh 21 may be designed as a one-piece injection molded object made of plastic material, e.g., made of a polyamide-6 [nylon-6] material. Instead of a homogeneous injection-molded article, it may also be provided with an insert, such as a textile fiber material, glass fiber material or metal cloth.

FIG. 2 illustrates a modified embodiment, which differs from the first example in that the mesh 21 has a rectangular shape with flattened corners. As in the first exemplary embodiment, the box part 3 is positioned centrally within the connecting portion formed by the mesh 21. Another difference is that the box part 3 has a greater height than in the first example. Furthermore, the mesh 21 is not directly connected to the box part 3 but instead the box part 3 has a protruding planar edging 29 on the side connected to the covering component. The entire spacer 1 including the box part 3, edging 29 and mesh 21 is designed as a uniform injection-molded body in one piece.

In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the only difference in comparison with the example in FIG. 2 is that the mesh 21 is oval-shaped.

To provide a mesh structure that increases the connecting area, the mesh 21 may have various shapes. The box part 3 also need not necessarily be positioned in the central area of the respective mesh 21, just as the box part 3 need not have a square shape itself (as shown in the figures) but instead could also have a more elongated rectangular shape. FIGS. 4 through 8 illustrate a selection of possible variants of the design of the mesh 21. FIG. 4 shows a slender oval shape with the box part 3 situated in the central area, in the form of a simplified schematic diagram of the mesh 21. The example in FIG. 5 differs in comparison with this only in the decentralized position of the box part 3, whereas FIG. 6, like FIG. 1, shows a circular mesh 21 having the box part 3 situated in the central area. Finally, FIGS. 7 and 8 show examples in which mesh bars 31 running perpendicular to one another extend from a box part 3 of a square shape situated in the central area of the connecting portion, these mesh bars extending outward from each side of the square, so that the mesh 21 forms a bar cross having corner angles 33 that are open to the outside and corner angles 35 which are open to the inside. In the example shown in FIG. 7, each bar 31 has the same width, but the example in FIG. 8 differs from this in that the vertical bars 31 in the figure are narrower than the horizontal bars 31, and the width of the narrower bars 31 is less than the side length of the box part 3.

In another embodiment according to FIGS. 9 through 12, the box part 41 forming the spacer body is in the form of a trough-shaped hollow box; the backing layer 9 of the hook-and-loop fastening part 7 can be secured on the bottom 43 of the hollow box above the mesh 21, which has no edging. For this purpose, the backing layer 9 has a protruding retaining lug 45, which has a button-type extension 47 on the free end. The bottom 43 of the box part 41 has a slot 49, and box part 41 is open on the side 48 toward which the slot 49 is open, so that the retaining lug 45 can be inserted into the slot 49, wherein the button-type extension 47 protrudes beyond the edges 50 of the slot 49 and thereby secures the hook-and-loop fastening part 7 on the box part 41 in a form-fitting manner. 

1. A fastening system for detachable mounting of covering components, such as panels, on other components (17) such as automotive body parts (19), having at least one a spacer (1) which has a spacer body (3), the spacer being securable by means of a fastening means on the covering component on its one side and being provided with a hook-and-loop fastening part (7) on its opposite side, said hook-and-loop fastening part being detachably engageable with a corresponding hook-and-loop fastening part (15), which can be secured on the other component (17), characterized in that a flat mesh (21) which enlarges the connecting portion between the covering component and the spacer (1) is connected to at least one edge of the side of the spacer body (3) to be connected to the covering component.
 2. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh (21) is connected to all the edges of the rectangular spacer body (3).
 3. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh increases the area of the connecting portion of the spacer (1) having the covering component to more than twice the area of the spacer body (3).
 4. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh (21) has a smooth curvature on its periphery, in particular being circular or oval.
 5. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh (21) is polygonal.
 6. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the polygonal mesh (21) has corner angles that are open toward the inside (35) and corner angles (33) that are open toward the outside.
 7. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer body (3) is situated in the central area of the connecting portion formed by the mesh (21).
 8. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer body (3) is situated outside of the central area of the connecting portion formed by the mesh (21).
 9. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh (21) is formed by two intersecting groups of mesh bars (23, 25) running parallel to one another.
 10. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the groups of mesh bars (23, 25) intersect at right angles.
 11. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh (21) is integrally molded on the spacer body (3) in one piece.
 12. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer body (3) has a protruding planar edging (29) on the side to be connected to the covering component with the mesh (21) connected to the edging in a coplanar arrangement.
 13. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the backing layer (9) of the first hook-and-loop fastening part (7) has a protruding retaining lug (45) with a button type enlargement (47) on the side opposite the hook elements (11), said backing layer can be gripped from behind through the edges (50) of a slot (49) in the box part (41), which is designed as a hollow box in the form of a trough with the bottom (43) situated above the plane of the mesh (21) and with an open side through which the retaining lug (45) can be inserted into the slot (49) formed in the bottom (43) of the box part (41). 